Untouchable
by FurryFeet
Summary: Frodo's 3 hobbit companions deal with Frodo's departure from Middle Earth in different ways. Their minds have now begun to play trickos on them. Are they really seeing Frodo? Who will believe?


Merry, Pippin and Sam have been having visions of their dear friend and cousin Frodo since he left to go across the sea. They all deal with it differently. But what if reality has changed a little?  
  
Untouchable  
  
-Sam-  
  
I look into the canopy of trees above me; it is beautiful in the spring here. I am walking far away from Bag End. I'm going to come back of course, to Rosie and the children. But for now, I'm just in need of a few hours alone, not to have a pity party, but to think about what used to be, Frodo especially. I miss him dearly.  
  
We walked a lot together before and after the quest. After seemed more meaningful than before. There are reasons for that I suppose. Before we would talk happily and it would always be loud with laughter or stories. When we returned we would walk then as well, but it was significantly different. Don't get me wrong; it was a solemn difference, but not a bad one. Instead of talk we would simply take comfort in the closeness between us. Instead of laughter, we would talk softly about the old days, and sometimes, on rare occasions discuss the more recent times. It wasn't all bad, there are a few humorous stories involving Merry and Pippin mostly.  
  
There is a certain place I like to stop; it's a clearing on top of a tree- covered hill. You can see Bag End and most of the rest of Hobbiton. But no one else seems to come here. On the other side you can see a field of wild flowers in the spring. Before the quest we would lie here and laugh at each other or play small games. After, it was more common that he would read, sometimes aloud to me. I would comment on the words and very often there would be silence after a very sad or dramatic chapter and we would simply sit and know that we could relate, but we had better and closer hearts because of it.  
  
When I finish looking out over Hobbiton, I lay in the trunk of a tree and rested. It was quite a long time until I woke from what I thought to be a silent reverie. I looked across the clearing and there peering over some bushes towards the field was Frodo.  
  
I look on in silence; something has taken me back to a time that wasn't all that far-gone. Though he is gone from me, the memories are still there and this one was as vivid as reality. When his face turned to look at me, I caught my breath. "Sam, come and look at this." He called in a loud whisper. I came closer and looked out over the bush that he was crouched behind and I saw two young foxes playing with each other in the green grass. It was a funny site, they were young and awkward, and one of them could hardly walk much less win any battle with the other. For a moment we both watched them in silence and but for a moment I thought that he had already gone and left again in the same odd way he had appeared. But I soon heard him moving again close to me and was aware of the breath he took before he spoke. "Do you remember when we would play like that?" He smiled at me. A smile I will never forget, no matter how long he has been gone. I smiled back. "Pippin would always end up squashed under us all." He laughed. I then dared to speak, hoping my voice would not somehow shatter his visage. What was the use in these visions if I cannot speak to them? "You were always the second to be squashed." I quipped. His eyes turned serious for a moment. "You'll remember then that I have grown since our last dirty squabble?" He questioned. "An inch maybe." I said. I was testing, seeing how far I could go before he would vanish from my sight. "Well, lets prove it shall we?" He challenged. Inside I panicked. To prove I could still beat him I would have to touch him, no I wasn't about to do that; surely he would fade away if I did that! But still he stood and beckoned me to shove, push or whatever it was he thought I'd do first. But I heard a near silent 'no' from somewhere and I soon found out it was me. "You'll disappear and leave me again." I said more indignantly than I had meant to. He lowered his fists. "I won't, I promise Sam." That was an odd thing for him to say. Did this vision know that he was indeed a mere vision and was he trying to tease me into making him vanish so I would be heartbroken, at least for the rest of my contemplative walk. "I can't." I said rather sadly. "Than come, walk with me." He said and motioned for me to follow. He had indeed become much more serious than his playful self, moments before. "I intended on coming to cheer you, not make you sad again." He said with remorse. "Your no longer a child Sam, you know about seeing things that aren't there. You won't trust to your heart. Yes I know it tells you I'm real. But I will not force that upon you." He told me seeing that there was a little hope in my eyes. "I promise you I am quite real. Flesh and blood hobbit." He smiled again. I ignored his teasing again and changed the subject. "Your cousins are visiting Bag End. They are in the garden now I believe." His eyes became bright and happy. "May I follow you home then?" He asked politely as if I was a stranger and though I didn't believe he was real this only fueled my disgust over the vision. "Come along if you'd like, I doubt they'll acknowledge you though." And I walked on, leaving him with the choice to leave and deep down I wanted him to. He followed me though, I looked back every so often to see him walking slowly behind me taking in the scenery as if he had not seen it in a long time. Another clue to his reality, but I dismissed it. "Maybe Pippin will play with me instead." He smiled as he passed me going down the path around the hole and towards the garden.  
  
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-Merry-  
  
For a moment my mind dared believe it was true. A visage as to my cousin came skipping down the path around the hole of Bag End. I watched for a moment and it saw me. "Merry!" It cried my name aloud. Sam seemed to pay him no mind and this told me that it was surely a vision and nothing more. I turned away in sadness. Sam looked my way but went inside, with little more than a wave. I watched as the vision came up to me. "Merry, I'm glad your looking well." It said nicely but I just glared at it. "Merry, it's me, Frodo." "I know who you are." I told him and followed Sam inside. I looked back only for a second to see a pained face looking back. I sighed deeply before opening the round door and leaving the figment of my imagination to vanish out side.  
  
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-Pippin-  
  
I was walking back to Bag End, that evening. I was tired, woozy and filled with food. As I approached the gate to Bag End I stopped, there was a dark haired hobbit blocking my way in the dusky garden path. He looked familiar and I walked up to the hobbit and reached out.  
  
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Frodo stared at the door for what seemed like hours. It became dusk early it seemed as he waited. He saw no more of his two friends and it soon came to mind that he hadn't see Pippin yet. He was about to turn around when he felt a light touch on his shoulder. A feeling of adrenaline began to flow through him as the touch became deeper and the hand was settled firmly on his shoulder. He turned his head to look into Pippin's green eyes. They weren't wide or surprised, but curious as he looked from his hand to Frodo's face several times.  
  
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-Pippin-  
  
I was touching him, I could feel warmth through the fabric of his cloak, I felt it and it was real. There was real, red blood flowing somewhere beneath my fingers. And there was real skin holding it there. And those were surely Frodo's real blue eyes looking back at me. "Frodo..." It was more a whispered gasp at the sudden realization that I was indeed touching what I would have thought a vision other wise. I tested again, touching another hand to him and before I knew it I was swept into a hug and I could indeed feel a real heart beating near mine. "Frodo!" I gasped again, this time with my usual voice. "What...why...you...your real!" I stammered as he pulled me away to look at me again. "I was granted a visit to you." He said as we turned to walk up the path. "I must make it count for it is the only one I am allowed." He said and that was not so good to hear but he was with us and that was enough. "Now come, help me show Merry and Sam I'm really real." He laughed and I did as well, wondering what kind of denial they had gone through seeing and not believing, or wanting to believe but never touching. 


End file.
